Special Love Inc.
Special Love Inc.
158 FRONT ROYAL PIKE STE 311
Winchester VA 22602-4324
Winchester VA | IRS ruling year: 1983 | EIN: 54-1218130
TO PROVIDE ENRICHING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER.
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158 FRONT ROYAL PIKE STE 311
Winchester VA 22602-4324
Winchester VA | IRS ruling year: 1983 | EIN: 54-1218130
TO PROVIDE ENRICHING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER.
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This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Special Love Inc. is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Special Love Inc. has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
---|---|
$1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
$500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
---|---|
Less than 50% | Full Credit |
50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
---|---|
70% or higher | Full Credit |
60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Camp (BMF activity code: 325)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Special Love Inc.) or EIN (541218130) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Special Love Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Where the COVID19 pandemic affected our programming, reducing expenses, it also cut out almost completely our largest fundraising event our Gala. We also have a number of community groups and individuals that hold events on behalf of our organization and those were cancelled completely. The vast unknown when it came to revenue caused some goals and projects to be delayed.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Special Love has three main programs: free camps, emergency financial assistance and educational scholarships. We could continue the second two programs, giving double what we normally do in a year to families requesting financial assistance in 2020, but camps were transformed. Maintaining good stewards of public health and not gathering, paired with working with an already vulnerable population made any type of in-person program impossible, so programs transitioned online. Special Love staff were able to work quickly and begin small online activities in March 2020 and successfully build on those activities. The team was able to create an entire week of camp online by sending the supplies needed for all activities to each camper and creating a shared online experience through WebEx services.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Though a challenge transitioning the camp programs online have been very successful. The volunteers who normally come out to our camp programs, which in a traditional year are held 11 out of 12 months in the year, really stepped up to help and was able to really bring the community together. The reach of our programs has also extended beyond Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC to include Utah, Arizonia and Illinois. As much as campers really enjoy canoeing or horseback riding they are also very aware of the relationships they have built and look forward to being there for each other, which we could also provide in a small way virtually.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
The silver lining in virutal is that camp became the kitchen table, patio or even a hospital bed. We will carry the success of the virtual world we created in to future in-person camps allowing those children who are too sick in the hospital to still be a part of camp. This will include activities, video calls and interactions with friends.
Not Currently Scored
Special Love Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Special Love Inc. reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
CAMP FANTASTIC - WEEKLONG CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER. IT'S A FUN-FILLED WEEK OF SWIMMING, CANOEING, HORSEBACK RIDING, MARSHMALLOW ROASTING, CAMPFIRE SINGING AND PILLOW FIGHTING. MEDICAL STAFF ARE P ... (More)
CAMP FANTASTIC - WEEKLONG CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER. IT'S A FUN-FILLED WEEK OF SWIMMING, CANOEING, HORSEBACK RIDING, MARSHMALLOW ROASTING, CAMPFIRE SINGING AND PILLOW FIGHTING. MEDICAL STAFF ARE PRESENT FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK OF CAMP TO CARE FOR THE CHILDREN. THIS YEAR WAS VIRTUAL. (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
BRASS ACTIVITIES - CAMP FOR THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER. WHILE THE PARENTS OF A YOUNG CANCER PATIENT UNDERSTANDABLY SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF THEIR SICK CH ... (More)
BRASS ACTIVITIES - CAMP FOR THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER. WHILE THE PARENTS OF A YOUNG CANCER PATIENT UNDERSTANDABLY SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF THEIR SICK CHILD, THE HEALTHY SIBLINGS SOMETIMES FEEL GUILTY, INVISIB (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
IN ADDITION TO CAMP FANTASTIC AND BRASS ACTIVITIES, SPECIAL LOVE OFFERS MANY WEEKENDS FOR THE FAMILIES AND CANCER PATIENTS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PATIENTS AND RELAX. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION AWAR ... (More)
IN ADDITION TO CAMP FANTASTIC AND BRASS ACTIVITIES, SPECIAL LOVE OFFERS MANY WEEKENDS FOR THE FAMILIES AND CANCER PATIENTS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PATIENTS AND RELAX. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGE FOR SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CA (Less)
Special Love Inc. has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
100% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
We serve children with cancer and their families. This can include Children 0-17, Young Adult Cancer Survivors and Siblings 18-30, Parents or Caregivers and sometimes extended family.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
The largest change to come out of surveying our community was the ammendment to the Young Adults program in 2019, increasing the age from 25 to 30. As we were forced to change our program style to virtual we have welcomed extra feedback from our families as we are all navigating quarantine, isolation, and now attempting to transition back to more in person events. Their comfortability level is very important to us.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Our Young Adults with Cancer or YAC program continues to grow and our young adult cancer survivors age. In 2019 we created the YAC Council consisting of our program participants, to hear from them what they would like to see from the program and new ideas for reaching young adults. We discovered that the challenges from pediatric cancer can extend beyond age 25 (the current program age cap). We extended the age to our young adult survivors to age 30 and by the first program we saw a 20% increase in participation. We checked in with our families at least 3 times each year during 2020 and 2021 via survey on the topics of virutal programming, as well as they are integral to our decision as to when it is safe to resume in person programming. We will continue this into 2022.
The organization reported that it is currently only implementing 2 Equity Practices. At this time, organizations must implement 3 or more of these practices in order to be scored on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (0/7) | |
---|---|
The organization did not respond to this question. |
Equity Policies and Procedures (2/7) | |
---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. |
Special Love Inc. has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
To provide a community of support for children with cancer and their families.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Support the childhood cancer journey
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Special Love serves families battling childhood cancer and the goal is to meet or exceed capacity (when possible) at all camp programs.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Virtual Camp: The goal is to establish the infrastructure and manpower needed to make the weeklong cancer camp a hybrid program with virtual capabilities.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: For many years Special Love had a program for families with a cancer patient under seven years old. The goal is to revive that program based on diagnosis numbers skewing younger.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Multiple members of the Special Love staff attend virtually or in-person the COCA (Children's Oncology Camping Association) Annual Conference.
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
As a member of COCA, the Children's Oncology Camping Association a senior member of the Special Love staff serves on the committee to bestow "Gold Ribbon Certified" to those camps exceeding in expectations and service to children with cancer. Special Love's camp programs are also Golf Ribbon Certified. A representative from Special Love has presented at the annual COCA conference for many years speaking on topics including sibling programs, fundraising, team building and strategic planning. Special Love brings awareness to the entire childhood cancer community be recognizing awareness days via social media. Members of the Special Love staff and Board Members also contribute to their communities through social and civic organizations as well as our Executive Director serving as Chair of the local Nonprofit Alliance of Shenandoah Valley.
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
March 2020 saw the Special Love team quickly adapt to a changing world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Special Love went virtual as all in-person programming was cancelled because of COVID-19. In just two weeks we developed and launched VOICE (Virtual Online In Home Camp Experience) to continue our mission. The pandemic was not going to stop us as we knew the harsh realities of the virus would make life even more challenging for our families, who were already dealing with the unthinkable heartache of childhood cancer. Both camps provided hours and days of fun and educational activities, games, virtual cabin chats, special guests, laughter, craziness, and most importantly, an escape from the confines and stress of the pandemic. Just like in-person camp does. Prior to camp, we sent all campers a “Camp in a Box” kit packed with everything they needed to participate in every activity. Campers from up and down the East Coast, across the country, and even across the Atlantic Ocean joined in the fun. Met with the same challenge in 2021, we again held all virtual programs and will continue until safe to reconvene in-person. In 2020, Special Love continued to help families dealing with financial hardships through our Kathy Russell Emergency Relief Fund. More families than ever before reached out for help. So much so that by June we had depleted our budgeted funds for the year, so the board commited more money. We provided 28 Kay/Moore Educational Scholarships to young cancer survivors who are ready to move past their cancer and on with their futures. VOICE started with virtual campfires, fun short videos, and small ways to stay connected, and grew into the launch of virtual BRASS Camp, which offered an entire month’s worth of fun activities. That was soon followed by virtual Camp Fantastic, bringing the joy of “camp” to not only campers confined at home, but those in the hospital as well. VOICE inspired the goal of having all future camps be hyrbid (virtual and in-person).
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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